Gabriel Pryce
Out of Time
The Balmora
The Vashtori Ascendancy was started on the premise that the Shard were the superior sentient lifeforms in the Galaxy. Incredibly intelligent and infinitely wise, the long lived Shards were able to complete any task and outlive most, if not all species in the Galaxy. These truths drove the original Vashtori to war during the Gulag Plague and fuel their conquests now. Leading these Shard is the Balmora, usually a Colony, but sometimes a singular Shard, powerful in the Force and with outstanding charisma. The Balmora rules the Vashtori Ascendancy with an Iron Fist and its rule is absolute. All Shard and Galra strive to please the Balmora for failure is not tolerated.
Hand of Balmora
A group of six powerful Force using Shard. They act as the Balmora's messengers and most powerful, loyal soldiers in the war for Galactic conquest. They all act with similar authority within the Ascendancy and usually specialize in one skill or another that the Balmora deems important. Commanding fleets and ground forces, they are a direct extension of the Ascendancy's power.
The Colony
A Colony is often used as a way to describe multiple Shard consciousnesses held within one large crystal body. An appropriate name then for the group of influential Shard that run the daily bureaucratic tasks and run the Armada of the Ascendancy. As Force users are held in much higher regard than non-Force sensitive Shard, many of the member Shard colonies of The Colony are Force sensitive. Officers and Lords of Balmora are frequent guests of The Colony as they also serve as a pool of centuries old wisdom and knowledge.
Lords of Balmora
Powerful Force users and accomplished military leaders, the Lords of Balmora are experts in combat, Masters over the Force, and are the only ones able to fill themselves from the Fountain of Vashtori. Because of their unwavering service to the Balmora they have a great deal of autonomy, however are at the end of the day generals and admirals of the Vashtori Ascendancy and follow the instructions of The Colony and the Balmora.
Knights of Vashtori
Force using Shard. They are expected to be the first on the field of battle and the first to defend the Seat of Balmora should it come under assault. The most common among the Vashtori Force users, the Knights of Vashtori have the freedom to move as Lords do, but are also expected to spend most of their time learning from the Lords of Balmora as apprentices, aides, and reliable combat companions. Lead the charge against all that would stand in the way of the Balmora and the Vashtori Ascendancy.
Quintessent
The highest honor among Teseract, the non-Shard and non-military Balmora. They make up the Fountain of Vashtori, a seemingly endless fountain of potential Force energy that the high members of the Vashtori Ascendancy feed on to increase their connection to the Force. Both volunteer and forced, Quintessent are chosen based on their connection to the Force or their overall vitality. Used as sentient cattle to feed the ambitions of the Vashtori Ascendany they are kept well fed and taken care of and treated as irreplaceable, holding even higher status sometimes than some Shard depending on if a Lord of Balmora or Hand has taken a liking to them.
Vashtori Shard
The bulk of the Vashtori Ascendancy. All of the Vashtori Shard are expected to participate in military service. Clad in their black, humanoid bodies they are the ground forces, pilots, and captains that lead the Vashtori Ascendancy to victory. The Vashtori Shard are not Force Sensitive as as soon as the potential is noted they are taken as a Knight of Vashtori. Fight on, for it is with your sacrifice that the Vashtori may one day retake our home and rule the Galaxy.
Galra
The Galra are any of the various enslaved peoples that have been either forced into military service or have joined willingly for some boon or another. The Galra are part of the main fighting force but are generally kept segregated from the Vashtori Shard outside of their commanding officer which will usually be a Vashtori Shard outside of extreme circumstances where supreme talent for leadership has been noted. Go where the Balmora has told you and your families will be spared from working the mines and Shipyards. For the Balmora! For the Ascendancy!
Teseract
Slaves of the Vashtori Ascendancy. Non Shard, put hard to work in the mines, factories or the shipyards, keeping the Vashtori Ascendancy equipped. Failure will not be tolerated. Do as you are told and you may live to see another day.